CSCAA Sharply Criticizes NCAA Transgender Policy Changes, Reiterates Support for Lia Thomas
Following Wednesday evening’s announcement from the NCAA about changes to its transgender athlete participation policy, the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has come out with a strong rebuke of the decision to place the burden for determining guidelines on the national governing bodies for each sport. The NCAA will now follow USA Swimming-issued criteria to determine whether transgender athletes such as Lia Thomas will be allowed to participate in the NCAA Championships.
In a statement issued on Instagram Thursday, the CSCAA announced it was in agreement with statements issued by the University of Pennsylvania and the Ivy League supporting Thomas, and the statement added, “We further condemn the hatred that has been directed at Ms. Thomas and feel that it has no place in the sport of swimming and diving.”
Then, the statement rips the NCAA for its decision. It reads: “Yesterday’s Board of Governors decision is not a solution. The NCAA’s previous policy on transgender participation, while pioneering, was outdated, and yesterday’s decision is a missed opportunity to lead this important discussion.” The statement presents a plan for the NCAA to spearhead new transgender policies that would encapsulate all sports, to “craft a solution that embraces inclusivity while also ensuring a competitive playing field.”
The CSCAA statement differs massively from a statement issued by the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) last week, which “urges the NCAA and all governing bodies to work quickly to update their policies and rules to maintain fair competition in the women’s category of swimming.” ASCA said it “embraces and encourages diversity and believes all people should have the opportunity to participate in swimming” and believes in the right of transgender athletes competing in swimming, but “cisgender females have a right to a category of competition that is fair and meaningful.” Like the CSCAA statement, ASCA condemned the “discrimination and disrespect that has erupted as a result of this conversation.”
In essence, the CSCAA believes that Thomas deserves the opportunity to compete above all else, while ASCA and others have raised concerns about fairness. Those on both sides of the debate have criticized the NCAA’s new position of deferring to national governing bodies because it leaves Thomas’ status for the NCAA meet up in the air, and frees the NCAA from making a decision of its own.
Read the full statement from the CSCAA’s Instagram page below.
I also support Ms. Thomas and condemn the hatred directed at her.
This is not about her/him. It’s about us.
Women/females/girls hello! They all need to do what they want to do but leave the female athletes alone.
You can’t change sex. Lia isn’t the Jackie Robinson of the sports world – she is the Rachael Dolezal of the sports world.
Women are being accused of directing hatred at Lia when all we’re doing is saying that he really isn’t a woman at all. We have that right.
No one is hating. This is not personal. How he chooses to live his live is life his business. More power to him. Very brave decision. Hope he has a wonderful life. Truly. The fact that he is referred to as transgender and not female should end the discussion. A female is a female is a female. While you think you’re helping the transgender community you’re dismissing the female sex. Are we subjective?
I didn’t choose to be female. And sometimes it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It doesn’t work that way.